The misunderstood .40 S&W
- Thread starter bluealtered
- Start date
Hopefully it's not someone like me that uses the Trunjucated nose like I do for carry ammo.
Penetrates like a round nose, wound channel like a hollow point.
Germany got in trouble with them during WWI. Allies thought they were using hollow points.
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
40 S&W, Winchester Silver tip, first generation, 155g at 1260 fps out of 4" barrel, real world. Super accurate.
joshb
Gold $$ Contributor
Truncated, not trunjucated…Great bullets!
sparky123321
Silver $$ Contributor
I could discuss this topic for days, but once again to each his or her own. This is the last I'll have to say on the topic.
A 9mm definitely has the advantage when it comes to any type of timed competition(paper or steel) due to it's lighter recoil and higher capacity. That said, someone shooting a .22 LR would totally dominate every competition if they were allowed. That's why there are minimum power factors for most competitions.
Most militaries now carry 9mm, so there's tons of data on the round when it comes to "one shot one kill". The 9mm rates pretty poorly especially with the required round nose bullets the military uses. Then again as they say in combat it's better to severely wound your enemy than to kill them. A wounded soldier takes 3 combatants off the battlefield instead of just one. The wounded soldier and 2 others to carry them off.
If anyone truly believes a .40 S&W isn't an accurate round I invite you to try my STI 2011 Anniversary with handloaded Hornady XTP or HAP and AA #7. If you can't keep them in the black with that, you're just not a very good shot or you're flinching due to the recoil.
A 9mm definitely has the advantage when it comes to any type of timed competition(paper or steel) due to it's lighter recoil and higher capacity. That said, someone shooting a .22 LR would totally dominate every competition if they were allowed. That's why there are minimum power factors for most competitions.
Most militaries now carry 9mm, so there's tons of data on the round when it comes to "one shot one kill". The 9mm rates pretty poorly especially with the required round nose bullets the military uses. Then again as they say in combat it's better to severely wound your enemy than to kill them. A wounded soldier takes 3 combatants off the battlefield instead of just one. The wounded soldier and 2 others to carry them off.
If anyone truly believes a .40 S&W isn't an accurate round I invite you to try my STI 2011 Anniversary with handloaded Hornady XTP or HAP and AA #7. If you can't keep them in the black with that, you're just not a very good shot or you're flinching due to the recoil.
bluealtered
Silver $$ Contributor
Of the two .40's I still have at the moment, one is a simple early S&W SD40VE mod1. It came from the factory with two 14+1 magazines. Yes, the trigger was 8 pounds and sucked, however it was both sold and advertised as such, so you knew what you were buying when you bought it. A simple Mcarbo spring kit fixed that.
I lost count of how many rounds it has through it years ago. It just keeps on shooting and hasn't had any problems, period. I will add to that, that it is a 4" barrel so it doesn't take much to cover it up when being carried.
The other one I still have left is a very simple and cheap Taurus G3c .40S&W that was I believe around $200 when I bought it, yes it has never needed to go back for repairs either.
To end this, I will say that to date I have had 13 .40S&W caliber pistols, and yes, I can quit buying them any time I want, after all it's only a hobby, ... right?
I lost count of how many rounds it has through it years ago. It just keeps on shooting and hasn't had any problems, period. I will add to that, that it is a 4" barrel so it doesn't take much to cover it up when being carried.
The other one I still have left is a very simple and cheap Taurus G3c .40S&W that was I believe around $200 when I bought it, yes it has never needed to go back for repairs either.
To end this, I will say that to date I have had 13 .40S&W caliber pistols, and yes, I can quit buying them any time I want, after all it's only a hobby, ... right?
I'm no pistol expert but I've always been told the 40 S&W has an unsupported chamber so it COULD lead to reloading mishaps. That kept me away. I reload for 9mm, 45acp, and recently purchased a 10mm Springfield that shoots a 180g XTP at 1300fps. It's very manageable.....borderline pleasant to shoot. Blows any 9 or 45 away.
joshb
Gold $$ Contributor
Early Glocks had the “unsupported chamber” issue. They fixed it and current guns are OK.
sparky123321
Silver $$ Contributor
I have always swapped out my factory Glock barrels for a better supported aftermarket KKM, Lone Wolf, Storm Lake, etc barrel. Makes reloading the .40 much easier. I also run all my .40 S&W brass through a Redding base sizing die as well.
Mmmyeah…we got documentable historical facts called rumor here, other fact sequences backwards, and speculative “everyone knows” anti-accountant/anti-attorney biases “reasons” why the FBI requested the *10mm lite” load… Lower trainee shooting qualifying scores and veteran agent input were reasons enough to step away from the 180-gr, 1,200-ish 10mm loads.
nakneker
Gold $$ Contributor
Wouldn't want to get hit by a 9mm, 40 S&W, 10mm, 45, 357 Sig etc etc but I’ve always thought of this discussion as what you gun do you shoot the best? A lot of people just don’t shoot bigger cartridges well, kind of like a guy shooting a 338 win mag who jerks at the recoil and shoots his big game in the butt vs the guy shooting his 7x57 and pierces the heart.
If you have the time and dedication to learn and shoot the bigger chambering well that’s a good thing but if your hitting the A zone with a 9mm and and missing half the time with a 40, 10 or 45 then a 9mm and might make more sense. I own a lot of 9mm pistols and PCCs but I also enjoy my bigger cartridges too. If your a hand loader you can load just about any cartridge to comfortable, fun to shoot, powder and bullet combos, just as easily as you can load stout stuff.
Like mentioned above, to each their own. Shoot what you shoot best when it’s truly meant for self defense.
If you have the time and dedication to learn and shoot the bigger chambering well that’s a good thing but if your hitting the A zone with a 9mm and and missing half the time with a 40, 10 or 45 then a 9mm and might make more sense. I own a lot of 9mm pistols and PCCs but I also enjoy my bigger cartridges too. If your a hand loader you can load just about any cartridge to comfortable, fun to shoot, powder and bullet combos, just as easily as you can load stout stuff.
Like mentioned above, to each their own. Shoot what you shoot best when it’s truly meant for self defense.
Last edited:
"Like mentioned above, to each their own. Shoot what you shoot best when it’s truly meant for self defense."
You really phrased this well.
joshb
Gold $$ Contributor
I just bought a 380 PPK/S for my old age.
Papers, please!!
tjtjwdad
Gold $$ Contributor
My hunch is the 9mm resurgence came about because of bullet technology really helped it out, but the same type of bullets are available in the 10mm/40 S&W too. I have both plus the 45 ACP. What ever you choose, practice...practice and then practice some more. IMO, the 40 S&W will do anything a 9mm will do on the target end.
Shooting skills are perishable, they will degrade if you don't practice.
Shooting skills are perishable, they will degrade if you don't practice.
9mm vs. 40 S&W vs. 45ACP
Has to be one of the most overblown internet discussion in the history of history.
Please god... make it stop !!! Lol
I'm with you, logged in here this morning and thought, is this thread from 2004?
Personally, I've carried all three and settled on 9mm. It doesn't make enough difference to matter.
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